Partial proceeds from this Sale will be donated to Nepal Youth Foundation to help impoverished children in Nepal.
Founded by Olga Murray in 1990, Nepal Youth Foundation (NYF) brings hope to the most destitute children in the Himalayan country of Nepal. NYF provides what should be every child's birthright—education, housing, medical care, and nurturing support.
NYF’s programmes include nation-wide scholarships; vocational centres for professional career training; the “Olgapuri” orphanage which hosts more than 100 children; 17 nutrition centres distributed all over the country; the treatment of malnourished children providing practical knowledge of nutrition and infant hygiene products; and the latest programme, “Caste Equality Project”, which provides legal education for low caste youngsters, aiming to change mentalities and transform the legal framework of Nepal. The NYF has been active in providing relief to the populations of Nepal during times of crises, such as the 2015 earthquake and Covid-19 Pandemic, by giving shelter, rebuilding homes and classrooms, amongst other actions.
Known as “Olga Mom” to thousands of Nepali children, Olga Murray, the founder and president of NYF, is now the age of 97 and is still active in the organisation. Over the course of three decades, her actions and efforts to help impoverished children of Nepal, by giving them shelter and education, has resulted in the empowerment of more than 60,000 children.
The NYF programme for freeing girls from indentured servitude has been impactful. A tradition of the indigenous community in the Tharu province of west Nepal that had been in practice since the 20th century, impoverished families were compelled to sell their daughters as young as six years old for domestic servitude at an average price of $50 per year. These girls became “the Kamlari girls” (Kamlari translates as “slaves”) who were denied education and sometimes abused and forced into prostitution. Following the NYF program involving advocacy, educational support, psychological counseling, legal action, and training, the practice has been eradicated. In 2013 the Nepal government declared the abolition of the Kamlari system and thus ended the practice of child slavery. The government is committed to enforcing existing national and international laws that had long been ignored. After over two decades of action, nearly 13,000 Kamlari girls have been rescued by the NYF.
NYF was awarded with high marks for accountability and transparency by Charity Navigator, the world’s largest U.S. based independent non-profit organisation that evaluates charities, saying donors can “Give with Confidence” to NYF.
For more information or to make a donation, please follow the link below:
https://www.nepalyouthfoundation.org/donate-online/
今次拍賣的部分收益將捐贈尼泊爾青年基金會，幫助尼泊爾的貧困兒童。
尼泊爾青年基金會由奧嘉‧梅利（Olga Murray）於1990年成立，旨在為喜馬拉雅山區的貧困兒童帶來希望。基金會為他們提供每個小孩與生俱來的權利——教育、住屋、醫療護理和培育支援。
基金會的項目包括全國獎學金、提供專業培訓的職業訓練中心、收容逾一百名兒童的「奧嘉綠洲」孤兒院、遍佈全國的十七所營養中心、治療營養不良的兒童、教授當地人實際的營養知識、供應嬰兒衛生用品，以及最近期推出的「種姓平等計劃」，為低種姓青年提供法律教育，目的是改變當地人心態和改善尼泊爾的法律框架。遇有如2015年地震和2019冠狀病毒病等危機爆發時，基金會也積極施以援手，提供避難所，協助人民重建家園和學校等等。
奧嘉‧梅利是尼泊爾青年基金會的創辦人兼主席，現年九十有七，但仍然為基金會盡心盡力，數以千計的尼泊爾兒童親切地稱為「奧嘉奶奶」。基金會成立三十年以來，她致力以行動幫助尼泊爾的貧苦兒童，為他們提供居所和教育，至今已為超過六萬名兒童大幅改善生活和權益。
基金會開展計劃，讓女孩擺脫契約奴役，成效甚豐，影響深遠。自二十世紀開始，尼泊爾西部的塔魯族一直有買賣女孩習俗，貧困家庭被迫以平均每年五十美元的價錢，將女兒賣給別人當家奴，其中年紀最小的女孩僅得六歲。這些女孩被稱為「卡穆拉利女孩」（Kamlari，「卡穆拉利」意思是「奴隸」），她們不能接受教育，有時候會被虐待，甚至被迫成為娼妓。隨著基金會多年來提供的權益宣傳、教育支援、心理輔導、法律行動和培訓，奴隸制已經根除。2013年，尼泊爾政府宣佈廢除卡穆拉利制度，童奴惡習告終。當地政府也下定決心，貫徹執行已被忽視多年的全國和國際法律。經過二十多年的行動和努力，基金會已解救接近一萬三千名卡穆拉利女孩。
尼泊爾青年基金會於問責方面和透明度均獲全球最大、評估慈善團體的美國獨立非牟利組織Charity Navigator給予高分，並得到指捐贈者可「放心捐款」的肯定。
如有意捐款，請按以下連結。
https://www.nepalyouthfoundation.org/donate-online/
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